Moose Droppings

Memorial Day has always been a special day for as long as I can remember. Growing up in the Boston area in the era of Vietnam I remember going down to see the parade and the ceremonies at the cemetery. At the time I was really not able to fathom the sacrifice many had made on our behalf. My Dad and Mom did their best to instill in us kids the love of God & Country. Sure Memorial Day was the kick off of the summer and we often had our first cook out on that day but it was the time we spent with at the cemetery remembering those sacrifices that were made that are forever etched in my mind. In elementary school I remember the Memorial Day assembly when veterans from world war one on up would be present and the patriotic songs and speeches were given. I don’t have kids but somehow in our political correct society I’m sure the schools frown on such an activity. I’m sure it warps the development of young minds.

As the years go by those lessons of my youth are not forgotten. I never served coming of age when Ronald Regan was president and his victory over the Russians. It seemed that we were for the most part at peace. What we see clearly now was like a whisper of smoke then as radical Muslims carried out terrorist attacks on our Country and interests. All of that seemed to come to a head when they hit us on 911. We have many service people today in harms way to defend freedom like countless ones before them.

The lessons I learned in my youth are not forgotten and this day is a very special day for me. It somehow seems fitting that my Dad was finally laid to rest on Memorial Day in 2001 after he lost his battle with cancer the previous Thanksgiving. Living in Maine the winters are long and the final laying someone to rest often waits till spring. Dad served in Korea and although he rarely talked about his experiences he was proud to serve to keep all of us free like thousand upon thousand of others who have done the same.

What has become an annual event for me I watched the National Memorial Concert from Washington DC last evening. A very moving tribute to all that have served or are serving our great country. The World War II vets are fading fast I hope people are listening to their voices so we never relive the horrors they had to face. I’m not sure that enough of us have listened as I watched the old scenes that our troops found in Germany compared to the horrors that I believe we’ll see in our lifetime if we stumble with the conflict we face today.

I hope you take some time today to reflect on really what the cost of freedom is. Instill some of this in the younger generations so they are ready to answer the call of freedom. Take time to thank a veteran for keeping us free. Pray for those that have returned home with wounds and injuries that they may heal. Uphold the families that have lost a love one. Be an active part of “A Grateful Nation” and thank those who have stood to keep us free.

Us outdoor types are usually very observant and see a lot that the average person may miss. It seems to never fail I’ll be driving down a road and I’ll see wildlife everywhere and my wife often times doesn’t see it till I point it out. “How can you be watching the road while scanning the fields looking for deer” she’ll often ask me. I’m not exactly looking in the fields but after years of observing critters I just can pick them out. We’ve trained our brains and our eyes to see the wildlife and we can do that with spiritual things as well.
We look around us and we can’t help to see the Creator’s handiwork in all of creation around us and we have to realize that there is a Creator. Some of us may recognize a Creator but don’t take the extra step to develop a relationship with Him through his Son Jesus. Jesus defeated death for us and that is what we celebrate every Easter. Accepting his sacrifice for our sins we can also have victory over death and enjoy eternal life.
On that original Easter Morning the tomb Jesus was in was sealed and secured with soldiers guarding it and the Bible tells us that the stone was rolled back. Why to let Jesus out? No to let man in to see that the tomb was empty. There are a number of accounts of Jesus appearing to those who knew him well and them not recognizing him at first…why? I’m not sure maybe disbelief or utter sadness over his death but like critters on the side of the road once someone points it out we can’t help but see.

I went to the community sunrise service this morning at Lake Benson Park. There were a good number of folks for it being such a cool morning. For me sunrise is always a special time, and I often find myself talking with God so this morning was no different. Something about singing “Up From The Grave He Arose” as the geese get up off the lake and fly over joining in our praise for the Creator. I get to do this many mornings a year often from a treestand or a blind and not so many people but it’s great to rejoice with all creation. I hope you can see clearly the message of Easter and that you’ve accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior if not check this link out for more information.
Happy Easter
-Moose-

People often refer to the First Amendment of the US Constitution as the “separation of church & state” which is a completely wrong interpretation of the 1st amendment. It disallows the government from establishing an “official religion” for the country but at the same time it does not prohibit the expression of Judaeo Christian principles that are integrate philosophy of the founding of this country.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Needless to say I believe that many of the liberals including most of the media has twisted the First Amendment to attempt to blot out any mention of God, to stop prays, and to block the rights of individuals to practice or display religion in public. I could expand even more on that topic but I won’t at this time.

How does this apply to hunting on Sunday? Those who want to have this law over turned would have you believe that this law violates the “First Amendment” by believing that it establishes an official religion within the State of North Carolina or by taking the more liberal interpretation it violates the “Separation of Church & State”. I don’t see that it does.
I will grant you that this law along with many others has some foundation within Judaeo Christian principles but it is not totally based on them. The government has not allowed a variety of activities on Sundays over time and many of them have been changed not because the violated the “separation of church & state” but the people got the laws changed. Many of us remember when stores use to be closed on Sundays for example. Currently in the State of North Carolina you can not purchase hard liquor on Sundays if this was a 1st Amendment issue one would think the popularity of alcohol would drive a challenge to the state’s stance.

In North Carolina we have a representative government which means we elect individuals to go to Raleigh and make the laws and change the laws for us. We do not have referendums for the people to decide but we tell our legislators what we want. Currently I don’t see a group of legislators that see this as an important issue to even attempt to put it on the docket. The legislators did ask for the North Carolina Wildlife Commission to study this issue and the results came back last year showing that there was not majority support among the people of the state to change this law. Even when you separate out the hunters from the study that sub group did not support the changing of this law.
Those who want to see this law changed could challenge it violates the 1st Amendment but I don’t think this will change it. They must get the legislators to change the law and in order to do that they must gain the support of many of the stake holders including land owners which is the next thing I’ll talk about in this series. The rights of property owners when it comes to the Sunday Hunting issue.

Sunday Hunting Part 1

Maine is one of a handful of states that has a Chaplain as part of the warden service. When you think about the variety of tragedies and rescues that most State Wildlife Agencies are called on to perform it seems to make a lot of sense to have a Chaplain as part of the professional staff.

I came across this CNN report on the Maine Warden Service Chaplain Kate Braestrup and her story while wrapped in tragedy with the untimely death of her husband a Maine State Trooper Killed in the line of Duty and the path she took to become a chaplain.

Her husband, Maine State Police Trooper Drew Griffith, was killed in 1996 when a truck slammed into his cruiser about a mile from home, leaving Braestrup to raise their four young children by herself.
Although he was 15 years from retirement, Griffith’s long-term plan was to attend seminary and pursue a second career as a minister. Braestrup took on that dream and went on to become chaplain of the Maine Warden Service, helping people who find themselves in the midst of sudden tragedy not unlike her own.

The entire CNN Story is a good one and well worth the time to read. This sounds like a worthwhile program that more states might want to look at adding. Maine is a big state and it sounds like she travels where ever the need is. She even has on occasion blessed some of the wildlife as well;

And yes, she did on one occasion bless a moose. It happened when she was in Presque Isle and arrived at the scene of one of Maine’s all-too-frequent car-moose collisions. The motorist was unhurt, but the big animal was mortally injured.
At the driver’s behest, Braestrup placed her hand on the moose as it raised its head and then died.
“I said this little prayer, and then I thought, ‘Oh my God, I just did last rites on a moose!”‘

Well this has been a rather difficult week at work and I came home and saw this sight out my back window. A doe with her yearling buck a sign from the Almighty that no matter how hard things might be the cycle of life continues. I’m sure she’ll be running him off soon so she can have this year off spring but it was a sight that lifted my spirits and a blessing I needed.

Growing up in a predominately Catholic area like Boston I’m very familiar with the practice of giving up meat on Friday’s for lent. This is a form of penance practiced by Catholics leading up to Easter for those who may not be familiar with lent. Many of the churches around here have fish fries on Friday’s that I’ve been known to attend not because of lent but just because I like fish.

Photo Catholic Org

I was intrigued to discover that in Michigan Lent observers have another option besides fish to eat on Fridays… Muskrat?!! That’s right Muskrat the other white meat wait a minute that’s possum but anyways it seems some Michigan Catholics eat / prefer muskrat over a plate of fried fish.

The custom of eating muskrat on Ash Wednesday and Fridays in Lent apparently goes back to the early 1800s, the time of Father Gabriel Richard, an early missionary in Michigan whose flock included French-Canadian trappers. Legend has it that because trappers and their families were going hungry not eating flesh during Lent, he allowed them to eat muskrat, with the reasoning that the mammal lives in the water.

US Fish & Wildlife

I can think of some other creatures that live in water or at least spend a significant amount of time in the water that has to be better eating then a muskrat.

St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Newport, Mich., holds a muskrat dinner every year to raise funds for the parish’s youth sports teams. The early February dinner includes sides of creamed corn and mashed potatoes. It features prizes donated by local merchants and serves up to several hundred dinners.
Bill “Pip” Chinavare was president of the sports club for 29 years and still heads up the muskrat fundraiser. His wife, Candy, said not many women participate in the annual dinner.
“This is a men’s thing,” she said. “They pack the men in.”
“The majority of women can’t get past the ‘rat’ thing,” she said.

I think I might be with the women on this one.

Father Russ Kohler, pastor at Most Holy Trinity Parish in Detroit and a downriver native, is a regular at the St. Charles Borromeo muskrat dinners. He said the trick to making the muskrat edible is in the marinade, a secret recipe based on a French liqueur.
He said he never ate muskrat before he attended the dinner while filling in at St. Charles as a priest. He’s tried to make the dinner every year since then.
“I didn’t fall in love with the product until I could drink beer,” he joked.
He said muskrat has the consistency of chicken, but with a “unique” taste.

Some how I should of known there would be some alcohol in this story but I can’t believe its better then a piece of beer batter fish. I must admit I’ve never had muskrat, I tried possum once and that wasn’t very good, nor to I plan to have it any time soon. As long as the Catholic Churches and civic groups have fish fries I’ll stop by but don’t slip me a hunk of muskrat. I guess my view would concur with Bishop Povish who said “anyone who could eat muskrat was doing penance worthy of the greatest of the saints.”

Catholic Org

Little did I know that a goose hunting trip this past season was the start of a road that took me to the mountains this weekend to a Wilderness Camp run by Chip & Amber Camp.  This weekend I helped out at a Christian youth camp that Quail Hollow runs to introduce kids to the great outdoors and God who created it all.  Many of these kids have never had the opportunity to experience many of the outdoor activities we enjoy on a regular basis.  The outdoor skills they learn are Archery,